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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Anim Sci / Short-duration exercise and confinement alters bone mineral ...
Journal of animal science2004; 82(8); 2313-2320; doi: 10.2527/2004.8282313x

Short-duration exercise and confinement alters bone mineral content and shape in weanling horses.

Abstract: The hypothesis that short-duration exercise may ameliorate the decrease in bone mass observed with confinement was investigated with 18 quarter horses (nine colts and nine fillies) weaned at 4 mo of age and placed into box stalls. After a 5-wk adjustment period, individuals were grouped by age and weight, and then divided randomly into three treatment groups: 1) group housed; 2) confined with no exercise; and 3) confined with exercise. The confined and exercised groups were housed in 3.7 m x 3.7 m box stalls for the 56-d duration of the trial. The exercised group was sprinted 82 m/d, 5 d/wk, in a fenced grass alleyway. The weanlings were led down an alleyway, turned loose in a small pen, and then released and allowed to run back down the alley. The group horses were housed together in a 992-m2 drylot with free access to exercise. On d 0, 28, and 56, dorsopalmar and lateromedial radiographs of the left third metacarpal bone were taken to estimate changes in bone mineral content and cortical widths. Mean values of medial, lateral, and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence increased over time (P < 0.05), whereas dorsal and palmar radiographic bone aluminum equivalence did not change significantly. Dorsal, medial, and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence tended (P = 0.09) to differ by a treatment x day interaction, with values increasing over time only in the exercised group. Normalized medial and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence tended (P < 0.1) to differ (P < 0.01) with treatment, with exercised horses having greater bone aluminum equivalence than confined horses. Dorsopalmar cortical width in exercised horses was greater than on d 56 (treatment x day; P = 0.07). The dorsopalmar medullary cavity decreased in exercised vs. group-housed horses (P = 0.027), whereas dorsal and medial cortical width tended to increase only in the exercised horses (treatment x day; P < 0.01). This study indicated that a short-duration exercise protocol might be effective in improving bone mass and therefore skeletal strength in horses.
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Publication Date: 2004-08-21 PubMed ID: 15318730DOI: 10.2527/2004.8282313xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research study examines the hypothesis that short-duration exercise can reduce the decrease in bone mass in confined weanling horses.

Research Background

The research aimed to test if short-duration exercise could counteract bone mass loss often observed in confined young horses. The test subjects included 18 quarter horses, comprised of nine male and nine female weanlings weaned at 4 months old. These weanlings were put in box stalls and made to adjust for 5 weeks before the commencement of the research study.

Research Methodology

The weanlings were divided into three different treatment groups post the adjustment period:

  • Group housed: This group of horses were housed together and had free access to exercise in a 992 m2 drylot.
  • Confined with no exercise: Horses in this group were kept in 3.7 m x 3.7 m box stalls for the whole duration of the trial without any exercise regime.
  • Confined with exercise: This group of horses were also kept in 3.7 m x 3.7 m box stalls, but unlike the earlier group, they were subjected to a sprint of 82 m/day, 5 days/week.

Data Collection and Analysis

To assess changes in bone mineral content and cortical widths, dorsopalmar and lateromedial radiographs of the left third metacarpal bone were taken on 0, 28, and 56 days. The team then evaluated the mean values of medial, lateral, and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence, as well as dorsal and palmar radiographic bone aluminum equivalence over time.

Results

The results indicated that mean values of medial, lateral, and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence increased over time, while dorsal and palmar radiographic bone aluminum equivalence did not significantly change. When comparing treatment groups, it was observed that dorsal, medial, and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence tended to differ with exercised horses showing an increase in their respective values over time. On the other hand, confined horses showed a decrease in normalized medial and total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence over time.

Moreover, the research observed a significant change in the dorsopalmar cortical width in exercised horses, and a decrease in dorsopalmar medullary cavity when compared with group-housed horses. Additionally, dorsal and medial cortical width seemed to increase only in the exercised horses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study supports the hypothesis that short-duration exercise may counteract the decrease in bone mass typically observed in confined young horses and could be effective in improving bone mass, and therefore, the skeletal strength of horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Hiney KM, Nielsen BD, Rosenstein D. (2004). Short-duration exercise and confinement alters bone mineral content and shape in weanling horses. J Anim Sci, 82(8), 2313-2320. https://doi.org/10.2527/2004.8282313x

Publication

Journal of animal science
ISSN: 0021-8812
NlmUniqueID: 8003002
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 82
Issue: 8
Pages: 2313-2320

Researcher Affiliations

Hiney, K M
  • Department of Animal Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1225, USA. kristina.hiney@uwrf.edu
Nielsen, B D
    Rosenstein, D

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Animals, Newborn / metabolism
      • Animals, Newborn / physiology
      • Bone Density / physiology
      • Bone and Bones / anatomy & histology
      • Bone and Bones / metabolism
      • Female
      • Horses / anatomy & histology
      • Horses / metabolism
      • Horses / physiology
      • Housing, Animal
      • Male
      • Metacarpus / anatomy & histology
      • Minerals / metabolism
      • Physical Conditioning, Animal / physiology
      • Random Allocation
      • Weaning

      Citations

      This article has been cited 8 times.
      1. Noordwijk KJ, Chen L, Ruspi BD, Schurer S, Papa B, Fasanello DC, McDonough SP, Palmer SE, Porter IR, Basran PS, Donnelly E, Reesink HL. Metacarpophalangeal Joint Pathology and Bone Mineral Density Increase with Exercise but Not with Incidence of Proximal Sesamoid Bone Fracture in Thoroughbred Racehorses.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 24;13(5).
        doi: 10.3390/ani13050827pubmed: 36899684google scholar: lookup
      2. Nielsen BD. A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger: Implications for Horses and Humans.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 22;13(5).
        doi: 10.3390/ani13050789pubmed: 36899647google scholar: lookup
      3. Logan AA, Nielsen BD, Hiney KM, Robison CI, Manfredi JM, Buskirk DD, Popovich JM Jr. The Impact of Circular Exercise Diameter on Bone and Joint Health of Juvenile Animals.. Animals (Basel) 2022 May 27;12(11).
        doi: 10.3390/ani12111379pubmed: 35681842google scholar: lookup
      4. Logan AA, Nielsen BD. Training Young Horses: The Science behind the Benefits.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 9;11(2).
        doi: 10.3390/ani11020463pubmed: 33572461google scholar: lookup
      5. Silvers BL, Leatherwood JL, Arnold CE, Nielsen BD, Huseman CJ, Dominguez BJ, Glass KG, Martinez RE, Much ML, Bradbery AN. Effects of aquatic conditioning on cartilage and bone metabolism in young horses.. J Anim Sci 2020 Aug 1;98(8).
        doi: 10.1093/jas/skaa239pubmed: 32717078google scholar: lookup
      6. Logan AA, Nielsen BD, Robison CI, Manfredi JM, Buskirk DD, Schott HC, Hiney KM. Calves, as a model for juvenile horses, need only one sprint per week to experience increased bone strength.. J Anim Sci 2019 Jul 30;97(8):3300-3312.
        doi: 10.1093/jas/skz202pubmed: 31231753google scholar: lookup
      7. Aguado E, Pascaretti-Grizon F, Goyenvalle E, Audran M, Chappard D. Bone mass and bone quality are altered by hypoactivity in the chicken.. PLoS One 2015;10(1):e0116763.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116763pubmed: 25635404google scholar: lookup
      8. Firth EC. The response of bone, articular cartilage and tendon to exercise in the horse.. J Anat 2006 Apr;208(4):513-26.
        doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7580.2006.00547.xpubmed: 16637875google scholar: lookup
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